1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method useful as firearm accessories and support devices such as bipods, and more particularly, relates to a clamp assembly for attaching an accessory to a mounting rail structure affixed to the forearm stock of a firearm. The clamp assembly attaches to the rail structure and enables quick attachment and detachment of the accessory to the firearm without modification of the rail structure or forearm stock of the firearm.
2. Background of the Invention
When shooting firearms, especially in stressful tactical situations, it is important that the firearm be maintained in a steady, stable position to insure accuracy of aim. Most shooters are not able to hold a firearm consistently in a set position without wavering, especially after the onset of fatigue resulting from strain on the shooter due to the size and weight of the firearm.
Accordingly, peripheral support devices have been used in conjunction with firearms since the early creation of firearms as a means of stabilizing a firearm to reduce vibration, wavering, etc., and to improve accuracy.
In the past, shooters have used everything from large stationary objects such as rocks and tree branches to forked sticks, shooting slings, bipods and tripods. Early bipod and tripod supports typically were somewhat crude strands that generally were bulky, inconvenient and difficult to use and typically were not easily adjustable. In more recent times, bipod supports have been developed that are compact and relatively lightweight and are mountable to the forearm stock of a firearm, such as a rifle, to make the bipods portable with the firearm. Most conventional bipod supports include a pair of legs that can be pivoted from an up position adjacent the firearm stock, to a down position engaging a support surface, with the legs also being extensible to adjust the height of the support.
A problem with conventional bipods has been the ability of the bipod to mount to most firearms without requiring the use of special mounting tools and the machining or modification of the firearm stock to accommodate the bipod. Additionally, most bipods are not designed for quick and easy attachment and release of the bipod from the firearm stock. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,678 discloses a bipod assembly that includes legs that are pivotable independently of one another for ease of adjustment, but which is not easily attached/detached from the firearm. Other types of conventional bipods offer varying types of mountings that can be fitted to various types of rifles without requiring modification or machining of the rifle stock. Harris Engineering, Inc. manufactures a series of bipod mounts for use with a variety of different firearms. However, these bipod mounts do not provide for the quickly releasing an attached bipod support from the firearm.
One of the most popular bipods on the market has been the Parker-Hale bipod assembly. This bipod includes a pair of telescoping legs attached to a mounting frame, and a mounting block for mounting the bipod to the firearm. The mounting block of the Parker-Hale bipod is releasably attached to the mounting frame of the bipod to enable quick attachment/release of the legs of the bipod from the firearm. The problem with the Parker-Hale bipod is that to mount the bipod to a firearm, the forearm stock of the firearm generally must be modified to mount a track or slide therein, along which the mounting block is received to mount the bipod to the firearm. Such modifications generally are expensive and often must be done by specialty gunsmiths and can mar the finish of the firearm.
Military or police shooters using military or SWAT rifles often carrying special mounts known as MIL-STD-1913 “picatinny” rails under the rifle forearm; the picatinny rails are customarily used for mounting grenade launchers, lights or other accessories and so the rifles often weigh much more than the lighter sporting arms most shooters are used to carrying. Clamping objects to forearm mounted picatinny rails is usually a lengthy, cumbersome process requiring that the shooter juggle small parts in the field.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a bipod mounting device for selectively attaching a bipod to a firearm adapted for use in military or SWAT situations, where the shooter may choose, for precision aiming, to have a stable support. Ideally, the attachment should not require extensive modification to the firearm such as machining of the forearm stock of the firearm. Preferably, a mounting device would also enable quick and easy attachment and detachment of the bipod (or other accessory) to the firearm.